


Masquerade Ball

by Pokeluv101



Series: Their Clandestine Romance [3]
Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Class Differences, M/M, Secret Relationship, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24610867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokeluv101/pseuds/Pokeluv101
Summary: Mahiru sneaks into a masquerade ball to dance with Kuro. (KuroMahi, Historical Romance AU)
Relationships: Kuro | Sleepy Ash/Shirota Mahiru
Series: Their Clandestine Romance [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741093
Kudos: 50





	Masquerade Ball

“Why do I have to go to the party full of boring adults? There won’t be other kids for me to play with.” Hyde whined as Mahiru helped him with the buttons on his jacket. While he was a tutor for the royal family, Mahiru would often act as a nanny for the younger siblings. He heard of how difficult the children could be before he took the job but he found that they were simply energetic. Most of the rumours around the royal family were simply untrue— especially the ones around the king.

“If I have to be bored at the masquerade ball, you need to be tortured with me.” As if his thoughts had summoned him, Kuro stepped into the room. His lazy drawl made Mahiru’s heart flutter but he was careful not to show his reaction to the others in the room. Kuro stood next to them and tousled his little brother’s hair. “Behave and we’ll take you to that _Hamlet_ play you told me about.”

“Also, you don’t have to worry about being bored or alone at the party. You have your siblings to talk to and your angel friend will be attending as well.” Mahiru reassured him. He fixed Hyde’s tousled hair and then went to help the other children prepare for the party. In the corner of his eyes, he watched Kuro speak with his younger brother. He could see how much he cared for his family from their laughter.

As their tutor, he was able to see the person Kuro was beyond his title of king. He was nonchalant but fiercely loyal to the people he cared about. The combination of his subtle smirk and his dry humour was able lift his spirits. They could talk about something mundane yet Mahiru would enjoy the conversation. All of those things led Mahiru to fall in love with Kuro.

“It’s time to go to the main hall for the masquerade ball. Remember to stand tall when you’re each introduced. After that, you can have fun. The nobles will be too drunk to judge you.” Mahiru had barely finish speaking before Lily and Wrath took his hands to pull him forward. He didn’t mind the way they tugged on his arms and laughed. “At least you two are excited for the party.”

“I wanna dance!” Lily told him and the others quickly added what they wanted to do at the party. Mahiru nodded along with their words and walked down the hallway with them. Since he was an only child, he had always wanted a big family. He never thought he would be able to have children though. Yet, Kuro made that wish come true. They were lovers and they would take care of his young siblings as if they were a married couple.

“Who do you want to dance with, Mahiru?” Wrath asked him.

“I’m not a nobleman so I can’t attend the masquerade ball. I’ll be spending my evening grading your essays but come to my classroom if you need me.” Even as he avoided her question, he glanced towards Kuro. They had to keep their relationship a secret due to their different classes. He cherished every moment he could steal with Kuro yet his heart yearned for more.

“You’re going to tear Mahiru’s arms off with how rough you two are being.” Kuro’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. He gently took Mahiru’s hand from Lily and squeezed it gently. The way he tenderly rubbed his thumb over his knuckles held a message only the two could hear. He wished he could hold his hand while they walked down the hall. He reminded himself that he would only endanger Mahiru if the truth was revealed. Kuro let go of his hand far too quickly for both of them.

They neared the grand entrance and Mahiru took out a bag of masks. He stood in front of Kuro and rose onto his toes so he could slip the black mask over his face. His fingers lingered against his skin as he adjusted the mask so it would be comfortable for Kuro. The mask hid most of his features but Mahiru was able to see his red eyes.

“Should I start the introductions, Your Highness?” He quickly stepped away from Kuro when he heard the royal advisor approach them. The man didn’t give Mahiru a glance as he spoke with Kuro about the masquerade ball. Kuro dreaded the party and he wished he had a few more minutes with Mahiru. He was led away from Mahiru and pushed Kuro into the ballroom. The introductions began and Kuro prayed the party wouldn’t drag long into the night.

He waited for the royal advisor to introduce the family. The silence that followed their entrance spoke volumes. Most people were entranced with the image of the royal family and stared at them as they descended the stairs. Between his appearance and status, many people would try to court him but Kuro mostly ignored them. There was only one person he wanted to dance with but he wouldn’t be attending the masquerade ball.

Mahiru discretely excused himself and walked away from them. He walked back to his room but he paused a few feet from them. He looked back to him and he was surprised when Kuro did the same. Their eyes met but he couldn’t read his expression due to the mask. He smiled at him reassuringly before he walked around the corner of the hall.

He was taken by surprised when someone walked into his path. “Shouldn’t you be in the ballroom, Tsurugi? You’re the captain of the guards.”

“I found a mask and I think it’s yours, Mahiru. I came to return it to you.” Tsurugi dangled a masked in front of him. The golden mask was shaped like a cat. They both knew that the mask didn’t belong to him since a simple tutor couldn’t attend the masquerade ball. He didn’t know what Tsurugi had planned until he grinned at him. “I should go back to the ballroom. You’ll never know who can sneak into the party while wearing a mask.”

* * *

Mahiru slipped into the ballroom and he was glad that most people didn’t notice him among the crowd. He had changed into an elegant costume and wore a mask to disguise himself. Only a few people knew him but he couldn’t help worrying that he would be discovered. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest and he wondered why he decided to sneak into the party.

He walked to the window and the cool breeze helped calm him. Mahiru debated what he should do. While he was a very social person and enjoyed dancing, he didn’t like complicated politics. He was reminded of how the party was a way to network for political power more than anything else.

“May I have a dance?” Mahiru recognized the voice so he knew Kuro asked him the question even before he turned to face him. Kuro bowed slightly and held out his hand to him. He had imagined dancing with Kuro in a ballroom a thousand times but he never thought they would be able to. A thousand pair of eyes were watching them and he could feel their judgement. He didn’t want to let the moment slip away though.

“It would be an honour, My King.” Mahiru placed his hands in Kuro’s. He brought him to the center of the room and then they faced each other. Kuro kissed Mahiru’s fingertips before he brought his hand to his shoulder. Then, Kuro placed his hand on his waist and led him through a simple slow dance. The song started and the music almost drowned out the whisper Kuro gave to Mahiru.

“My council has been pressuring me to dance with someone all night. I finally found a person I want to dance with. You won’t get angry if I accidentally step on your feet, will you, Mahiru?” Despite his disguise, Kuro recognized him. Once he heard Mahiru giggle, his suspicions were confirmed. They both relaxed into the moment and the world faded around them.

In Kuro’s arms, he didn’t have to worry about their stations or people’s judgement. Mahiru moved closer to him and leaned his forehead on his strong chest. He could hear his heartbeat and he swayed in time with the sound. They rarely had the chance to dance together yet matching his slow pace came naturally to him. “I wouldn’t mind parties if I get to dance with you.”

“You have to keep up appearances, Kuro. I know you call it troublesome but you have to maintain alliances with other kingdoms.” Mahiru reminded him and his own words stab him. While most would call Kuro lazy, he saw how much he cared for his kingdom. Their eyes met and Mahiru found himself smiling painfully. “You have a duty to your kingdom.”

“I have a commitment to my lover as well.” Kuro whispered back to him. Like many nights, he imagined if they were born in a different time without the complication of his royal blood. He would be able to hold Mahiru in public. “I want to be with you, Mahiru.”

“To be honest, thinking about you dancing with someone else makes me jealous.” Mahiru admitted.

They barely finished dancing before they heard a loud crash. At the far end of the hall, the table was turned over and World End was covered in food. Mahiru could easily picture what happened to cause the mess. His first worry was that he was hurt and Mahiru ran to help him.

He reached World End’s side and he looked him over for injuries. Mahiru was relieved that he didn’t appear hurt and took out a napkin to wipe the food from his hair. He noticed that World End was looking over his shoulder and he could finally sense the eyes on his back.

“It’s impolite to stare. Please, return to the party.” Mahiru turned to the nobles who were watching World End with disdain. He knew he should be polite to the lords but he couldn’t stand the way they would judge a child for an accident. He moved in front of World End to protect him from their stares. Kuro walked to them and Mahiru was relieved to see him.

“Let me apologize for my brother. The chef will bring out more food in a few minutes. Until then, enjoy the band.” He told the crowd and they started to disperse. He was glad that the lords and ladies didn’t cause a scene after his order. Kuro turned back to his little brother who was staring at the ground. He knew the pressure that their title had on them all too well.

“I couldn’t reach the food.” World End pouted. Kuro’s response was a brotherly pat on his shoulder.

“Next time, you should ask Kuro or me for help.” Mahiru told him a gentle yet firm voice. He helped him to his feet and then handed him a plate of treats. “Let’s go and get you some clean clothes.”

* * *

“It looks like we all survived the party. Since you had to stay up late, I’ll postpone tomorrow’s lesson.” Mahiru told the children as he tucked them into their beds. While the castle was large enough for each sibling to have their own room, they were close and wanted to share one. He loved how close the family was and he hoped society wouldn’t change them as they grew up.

“Mahiru, can you go to the main hall and get my doll? I think I forgot it at the party.” Lily asked him.

“Of course. I expect you all to be asleep by the time I come back with your doll though. It’s late.” Mahiru said and blew out the candle next to his bed. He left the room and made his way to the ballroom. He was busy taking care of the children so he wasn’t able to dance more. Even if he had the chance, Kuro couldn’t be his partner like he yearned for. He debated if he should visit Kuro since he was likely tired after the party.

The main hall was dark when he entered so he searched for a candlestick to use for lighting. He passed the glass doors to the garden and a hand grabbed his arm. His small gasp was stifled by a hand over his mouth. As he was pulled behind the curtain, he recognized the person and he freely stepped into their arms. “You should be careful walking around in the dark. Didn’t your uncle warn you that vampires might steal you away at night.”

“Vampires aren’t real, Kuro. You should save those scary stories for your siblings.” Mahiru chuckled and wrapped his arms around Kuro’s neck. Throughout the party, his only wish was to dance Kuro and he was finally in his arms now. He smiled up at him and said: “If a vampire did capture me, I hope you’ll come and save me.”

“I’ll chase that vampire even if he takes you across the world. Lord help that troublesome vampire if he did anything to you.” The moonlight was dim yet Kuro was able to see Mahiru clearly. He brushed his bangs from his brown eyes and thought of how their brightness reflected his personality. “Thank you for standing up for my brother.”

“He’s a good kid. I love your family and I’ll do anything for them. I’m actually here in search of Lily’s missing doll. Will you help me? I’ll give you anything you want as a reward.” Mahiru said and tightened his arms around him to draw him closer. He threaded his fingers through his light hair until he touched his cold crown. “I should’ve handled the situation better though. I might’ve offended someone powerful.”

“I wanted to yell at them too. You had the courage to do that while I didn’t. My title is troublesome.” He sighed. Mahiru placed his hand on his cheek and his light touch made him feel stronger. He was more dignified and honourable than most lords he knew. One of the things he came to love about him was how he saw people for who they are before their title. No matter if the person was royalty or a simple squire, Mahiru was kind to them.

With a finger beneath his chin, Kuro lifted his face and kissed him softly. “We weren’t able to finish our dance. There’s no music but will you dance with me?”

“A private dance like this is better than a party.” Mahiru smiled at him and let Kuro sweep him into a dance.


End file.
